GIVING LIFE
by Kissa-Lee
Summary: Eloise wasn't sure of much anymore, but she was quite sure that a typical day in normal life did not usually consist of mythical creatures, sword fighting and casually chatting with legendary monarchs. With a broken memory and a talking cat that claimed he was the same cat as her pet Arthur, all she wants is to survive as she's thrown into a sea of never-ending unexpected events.
1. AN: A well deserved Update and Re-Write

My dear readers,

So I'm sure some of you have given up hope that this story will be updated anytime soon, and I'm more than sure that a good portion of you will be disappointed that this chapter isn't a new chapter. It's not, and I'm sorry to those who are disappointed by this.

To give the most simplified explanation for my absence, I have been very bogged down with my Uni work. With the added responsibilities of being a scholarship student and therefore a student representative for my University, it means I have little time to myself, and the time that I've had free, I usually spend catching up with my social circles.

I'll be honest, for a good few months, I have not thought much about this story in the bustle of my offline life. However, the times I have thought about it, and the few times I've received emails about new comments or pms, mean that I haven't been able to completely forget it nor the promises I made to both you, my readers, or myself. That I would complete this story.

And while I know there really is no one out there, that can hold me to that promise, but myself, I still want to uphold that oath I made when I started this story. Because I have begun a lot of stories, and never been able to finish them. Not once, have I been able to successfully conclude a story. And, I really, really, REALLY, want to hit that milestone in my life. To say that I've finished a novel. Even if It is a fanfic.

So, having said all that; I've reviewed this story and its chapters, and I find myself itching to re-write a good portion of the beginning of this story. There are some new ideas springing into my head, and while I love Louisa dearly, she no longer fits as well into the picture I have in my head. But that is the brilliant things about characters and stories, _they can be remade._

Thus, this is where I announce that I will be putting this story on hiatus, but only for a short period of time, whilst I review and revive my love and inspiration for this story. There are new strings to tie into the events of this story thus far, and until I have all the threads together again, this story will remain in a momentary pause. It is my hope, that within the next month (or perhaps even shorter), that I'll have the re-write up and going, with a good roll of chapters ahead to help me stay ahead of my updating schedule.

Until then, I ask dear readers, that you hold on, just a little while longer. I'll work hard, and promise our adventures in Narnia will take off again soon.

Thank you,

Sincerely Kissa Lee.

PS. In the meantime, should anyone have any questions or suggestions for the re-write, please do comment or PM me! I'll be much more active and therefore available to answer any messages I receive.


	2. Chapter 1

**Just as a disclaimer, I have changed Louisa's name to Elouise. I felt Louisa was too close of a name to Lucy, but still wanted to keep the name relatively the same- thus from henceforth she'll be called Elouise in this story. **

**I know that I said I wouldn't likely be posting a chapter until I'd had a good amount re-written, but I wanted to give everyone a good look at what's coming, and what you all have to look forward to. **

**Overall the plot is much more intricate and involved than the previous. Much of the events I have planned are still the same, but I've done my best to raise up the stakes so we can all drink in the juicy drama of this story. **

**I've also come to realise I enjoy writing in 3rd person MUCH more than 1st, so the story will now solely take place in the 3rd person.**

**As always, please follow, favourite and review! I truly appreciate and will respond to each and every comment.**

* * *

A torrential storm, an unwavering resolve to keep her head above water. Everything hurt. She was drowning, and there were no lifeguards to save her.

Pressure upon her chest. Fur. Warm and soft like freshly washed linen. A long draw of breath that dulled the faint echo of pain that ached all around her.

All sensations bled into one another, muddying her grasp on reality. Like attempting to mix paint for the first time, she achieved an ugly gray mixture of all the wrong amounts of color. Smells that she first thought were sounds, sights that followed strange tastes; the slight pressure around her that she couldn't decide was either rough or gentle.

Something burned and sizzled. The crackle in her ear became more defined, _Where am I?_

There was a whisper. A name; familiar, yet distant- as though she hadn't heard it for a century, but couldn't never forget it due to its significance.

At once she became conscious of the ground; had been laying on it for some time, un-noticing its existence, yet suddenly so aware of it that it felt as though she had slammed into it at full force.

A loud bang, like the slamming of a door, yet louder, _fiercer. _She didn't really hear it the first time, but felt it jolt through her entire body like lightning.

Another. Then three more.

A command. REMEMBER.

The sound seemed to fade into a piercing ring by the last shot. She opened her eyes, blinded by the piercing light that seemed to pry her eyes open with all the force of a hurricane.

She blinked, the light grew darker. She tried to remember… what? Remember what?

Sirens that blended into screams. Terror. She could place the feeling of terror. _Too fast… Everything is going too fast._

All slowed. She opened her eyes again, took a breath and allowed herself a moment to focus. She noticed a mass of fur curled up on her chest. Ginger fur. A pair of familiar green eyes peered at her from a face in that lump. The face of a cat.

_Not my cat… _that's right. She had a cat. Arthur. Where had she seen him last?

She hissed, brought a hand to hold her head as if she could somehow pry away the sudden flush of pain that shot through her mind. Images flashed like photographs, memories that should have been moving, but remained still because she couldn't recall the events between the pages.

A room on the fourth floor. A big window with a lovely view. A lonely man.

She faintly heard the echo of shattering glass. She bolted upright, the cat on her chest leaping away with a cry of surprise. Her entire body excreted sweat in waves.

Legs, arms, toes and fingers- the girl recalled she had always had them, but felt odd using them. Stumbling around, taking in the strange stone walls. Her feet were restricted by boots that were half a size too small, her legs tightly bound in skinny jeans. Her pale shirt was missing a button.

The young woman tilted her head down, taking in the clothing. She observed the blood, marvelled at how much stained her shirt, but wondered whose it was. She didn't feel hurt.

She unbuttoned the cotton cover. Not an open wound to be found, but multiple circular scars glared back angrily at her, decorating her abdomen and chest. The skin of her belly coated in a thick layer of half dried blood, was beginning to chip and crackle like dry mud as her muscles stretched and flexed with her breath.

Her skin colored bra was also stained. Tracing the plane of her clothes, she found holes… in the same place above the scars.

The woman looked up through hazy eyes, hearing that name again. Closer this time.

She took in the strange room, and realised, it was barely a room at all. More a cavern, with giant pillars and half-walls of stone that held up the ceiling. Lining the edges, these walls were lit with a glittering flame that flickered in a dance of reverence before the stone guardians that were carved upon each wall.

Some bore foxes, tigers, horses… and then there were fauns, and dwarves too. Creatures of myth and magic that she'd read about in books, seen in movies or heard of in song. They all stood tall, and each of them looked out, as though they were watching the world from a window.

Through a stone arch separate from the walls, the woman laid eyes on a carving that stood out from the rest. It was not as intricate as the others, and the figure sat instead of stood. A lion.

This lion did not look outward. It looked down- almost directly at her if she would shift a little to her left.

So serious, it's an expression, that she had a hard time looking away. Ultimately, it was the cat again that drew her attention away, for it's steps, though quiet, echoed around the wide cavern demanding her notice. She turned a little on her foot, to watch as it leapt onto a mound of broken stone. A table almost, but not quite.

She stared at the cat, it stared back. It meowed. The lady furrowed her brow, blinking at the cat. For a moment, it had sounded as though it had actually asked her a question in english.

It waited for a response, and as she stared at it in confusion, it repeated, much clearer this time, "Are you alright Elouise?"

She tried to take it in stride, but could not keep the wide eyed expression off her face. "I'm okay, thank you." It struck her, _Ah. This must be a dream. That's it._

At first, it looked at her puzzled, with a frown as it repeated, "Who are you thanking?" It looked around for another being, until the moment it seemed to dawn upon his mind. All the while, the lady kept repeating in her head. _Definitely a dream. Don't freak out. It's just a talking cat. You've probably had much weirder dreams before… _She just couldn't remember any at the moment.

The cat's eyes widened, apparently just as surprised that she understood him as she was. "Wait yo-you can understand me? That must mean…" His head spun wildly around the cavern, taking in everything as she had just moments ago. He stood, his tail high and alert.

"But it can't be!" The cat spoke in disbelief. "This _really is _the stone table then! It's Aslan's table!" The cat laughed.

Aslan. Why did it feel as though she'd heard that name before?

Elouise felt the blood rush from her face as the very normal looking cat continued to speak, despite its apparent disobedience of the laws of nature. She stumbled a few steps back, leaning on one of the central pillars.

The cat looked back to her, "Elouise, It's-it's me! Arthur!"

The girl gave the cat a very un-amused look, "Arthur has no fur. You can't be Arthur." She reasoned.

As the cat began to insist he _was _indeed the cat she had owned, she felt a great pain fly through her head, and a great sense of despair turned her blood to ice. So great was this pain, that her hands flew up to her head, and her knees buckled, hitting the ground with a hard smack of flesh and bone colliding with stone.

In a blink, the cat who proclaimed to be Arthur, was at her side with worry. She could see him opening and closing his mouth, speaking to her, but Elouise couldn't make out the words over the sudden cracks of thunder in her head. She reached deep for a word for these sounds, and only one description fit the bill. _Gunshots. _

Elouise heard them as if they were flying through the cavern itself, raining across the room with such an echo that a primal fear gripped her tight. She shut her eyes tight as they began to hurt, and when she opened them again, a confusing muddle of images took hold of her sight.

A man across from her held the source of her fears. His face, a terrifying picture of both emptiness and pure evil. Dark were his eyes- as dark as the color of the gun he held at her from a few feet away.

In a mere blink, he emptied the chamber into her, and at the last shot, she felt herself falling backward- all the while she screamed a single note of pain and shock.

In a way, she seemed to exist in two places. She _remembered _that exact moment, and lived it, but also felt like an observer in that moment- she couldn't change what was happening before her eyes. She felt both separated and one with the girl being shot. Like it was her… and yet, _not _her.

It was a memory, she realised. As the scene faded, she recalled the scars and blood on her shirt.

Elouise felt her mind almost _return _back to her body. It was as if she had been transported into another plane of existence from the moment she'd heard the gunshots, and now that she had seen the memory, she returned to the present moment- where her back pressed against the stone pillar, and that ginger cat still stared up at her from below.

She breathed hard and fast, the sweat rippling uncomfortably down her back and forehead. She felt a slight pressure on her thigh, and looked down at the cat. His paws pressed into her side, his ears were pinned back and his pupils were large and wide.

Realising he'd caught her attention finally, he spoke reassuringly, "You're okay Elouise. I'm here." She tried to slow her breath, refusing to look away from him as he repeated these sentences and began to explain.

"It's going to be alright now. We're in Narnia, Elouise."

There were multiple things racing through her head. What the hell was Narnia? Where were they? Why did this cat believe he was her Arthur?

She felt her face grow hot with tears, and she gasped, "Why… I can't remember… Why can't I remember anything?"

The words she spoke had an immediate effect on the cat. His eyes wide and slightly pinched, his mouth open in shock. He looked both horrified and deeply disturbed.

Ignoring the cat, Elouse started to ramble to herself, tears fastly falling down her cheeks as she lost her breath again. "I-I remember someone shooting me. I remember a cat, and-and I remember he had no hair."

He retracted his paws. "You… you don't remember…" he repeated quietly to himself, watching as she continued to try and list off everything she remembered.

"I re-remember cars, and cities, and trees," She hiccuped, "Oceans a-and deserts. So many deserts… b-but where did I come from? What was it called?" She blinked as more tears filled her eyes and steady streams continued pouring down the curves of her face.

Stunned, Arthur chimed in with a shaky voice, "Australia. You were born in a country called Australia."

Her attention captured by his words, she searched for anything. A pull, or a tug, a picture, a sound, _dammit anything!_ She shook her head, "I… I've never heard that name before."

Arthur seemed almost angry at this, _desperate_, "Yes you have! It's _your _home!"

She sobbed, his anger hitting her as hard as the anguish did, "B-but I… I can't _remember _that name."

Arthur softened a bit, but the frustration and agony was clear on his face. "It-It's okay… It's not your fault." The anger returned to the cat in full force as he turned away and hissed fiercely under his breath, "It's _his _fault. It has to be."

Elouise grew a little quieter, her sobbing stopping as she thought. _Who's he talking about? _She recalled the flash of the man pointing the gun at her. Likely him, she suspected.

Her own despair slipped away as she watched the emotion pass through this strange talking cat's expression. It seemed just as distraught as her, if not _more. _

_He knows me. He knew me before all this. _

She croaked, "Who… who are you talking about?"

He looked back at her, and she was taken aback by the tears in his eyes. _Cat's can cry? _

Unaware of her thoughts, the ginger tabby stared up at her with fierce determination through his wet eyes. "I'll fix this. Aslan can help you, I'm _sure _of it. He'll give you your memories back- we just have to find him."

She sniffled, swallowing to wet her dry and throbbing throat. "Who… who's Aslan?"

The tabby stood, and walked around the pillar, gesturing for her to follow with a flick of his tail. The girl slowly rose to her feet, blondish curls falling over her shoulder and tickling her neck as she did. She trailed around the column, gliding her hand across its smooth stone surface as she rounded it to stand beside the tabby cat.

She looked down at him, observed his face as he stared up at the engraving of the lion. Her head shifted as her gaze cast between the engraving and the cat. He was silent for a moment, watching the lion with almost hopeful eyes, like he was praying it would come to life and restore everything to how it _should _be.

When nothing happened, he sighed and spoke, "_That's_ Aslan."

Elouise studied the lion's mane as she questioned, "Aslan is a… a lion?"

His head barely reached just below her knee, but she saw him nod gently. He explained in a soft voice, "He's the one who _made _Narnia. He brought us both here…" He paused and looked up at her, "but… I don't think you were meant to lose your memories. When we find him, we'll explain what happened, and he'll give you your memories back. I just know it."

"Oh… o-okay." The human had little clue of what else she could do but agree. She didn't even understand how she had ended up in Narnia in the first place. At least this cat seemed to have some idea of where they were- if the way he had exclaimed earlier was anything to go by.

She looked up at the stone wall again.

Both human and cat took a calming breath in. Arthur spoke up after a moment of silence, "Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I'll make this right, I promise."

Her blue eyes looked down into the green gleaming gems that gazed back up at her with a firmness that seemed strangely out of place for a cat. Try as she might to absorb the confidence the cat wore, deep down she found it difficult to think a cat could solve all her problems.

She didn't have much else to go on, so she ignored this deep-set doubt, and nodded stiffly. She'd trust him to do his best to help her.

"Where do we start?"

* * *

**And so it begins. Over the past few days, I've re-kindled my passion for this story, but I've given it a few new twists to up the stakes. I was dissatisfied with how my previous version felt like it relied too much on the canon plotline. These new twists (and a new character) will allow me to truly solidify the importance of the main character in her own story. **

**Because of these changes and additions, the story will change a little- but not by much. The events and pacing of the story will remain much the same as the previous version, just with more depth and character. **

**I will admit, I'm taking a bit of a dangerous route with the memory loss plot. Its been done so many times before, and the biggest trap that most writers fall into with this trope is having the plot simply _happen_ to the main character, rather than having the main character to _drive_ the central plot. **

**I promise, I am aware of this, and I will be doing my best to ensure that Elouise _will _be driving the plot. **

**I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak! **

**The next chapters shall hopefully arrive soon. :)**

**Until then, tata! Have a good day dear readers.**


	3. Chapter 2

Several hours had passed since Arthur had made his promise to help restore Eloise's memory. If she hadn't had much hope in the cat before, she had almost none now that the pair had actually _ left _the sanctuary of the tomb.

Although he had certainly seemed to know Narnia- the country they were in- Arthur seemed almost as unsure of their exact whereabouts as she was. At first, the cat had been quite self-assured. He'd set off in an eastward direction, claiming the most likely place they'd find Aslan was some sort of castle on the coast.

_ Cair Paravel. _ Or so the cat called it. Eloise still had trouble reconciling the cat before her with the one from her memory. She wasn't sure of many things, but she knew for a fact that her cat did _ not _have fur.

This was one of the many questions she hammered Arthur with as they had stumbled through the tunnels, trying to find their way out. It was lucky he had such a keen nose. He could smell the fresh air long before she could, and had he been human, Eloise knew for a fact that they'd likely have spent many more hours stuck in that endless stone maze.

The tabby hadn't been able to truly answer her as to _ how _he'd gotten his fur back, but he had been able to explain that the reason he'd lost it in the first place had likely been because Narnain's weren't meant to travel to the other side. He'd been completely unable to answer when she'd asked how it was possible that he'd ended up in her world if that was true.

Once they had surfaced, Eloise had been so grateful to see the sun, that she'd had to stop and raise her head to its light. She hadn't even taken in the sight of the vast open grassfields and treeline before closing her eyes and soaking in the warmth. She had been utterly freezing, to say the least, though Arthur had barked that she only thought it was cold because she was so acclimated to the festering hot weather of her home country.

It was clear by his tone that he'd been merely teasing her, but this reminder that she was missing such a memory felt like another gunshot to her stomach. Eloise thought she might be sick, and any ease that re-discovering the surface world had brought her was instantly snatched away.

With confidence in his small stride, Arthur had led the human girl across the field and into the woods. The pair occasionally had to stop when crossing, as the lawn was as wild and untamed as it could possibly be. The tops of it reached to her shoulders, and there were more than a few occasions where she had to stop and call out to the tabby, having lost sight of him in the under-growth.

There was something strange about the woods. She hadn't really taken notice of it as they'd entered, but as the pair drew deeper into the dark forest, she began to feel a nagging concern at the back of her head. Though, she couldn't honestly say for sure _ why _ she felt this way. Just that something was clearly _ different _about this place, and it made her wary of the trees.

Hours passed, and Arthur's assured skip became more of a hesitant tread. He now walked as if he was unsure of the very ground he walked on, and Eloise could tell from the wide sweeping eyes, that he was wondering if he'd gone the right direction.

"Are we lost?" she asked.

Arthur seemed quite offended by this notion, and barked, "No. I just need…" He tilted his head up, and following his gaze, she looked straight up into the dark canopy, where flickers of blue sky peered down between the leaves. "Wait here," he said, "I'm going to get a better view."

The nimble cat leapt up, clinging to the bark of the tree trunk next to her with outstretched claws. So abrupt and quick he had been that she'd nearly jumped out of her skin, holding a hand up to her thudding heart as she watched him climb so high into the massive trees that she felt the stirring of anxiety in her stomach. What if he slipped and fell? Would she be able to catch him if he did?

Not knowing if he could hear her or not, she stressed under her breath, "Please be careful." She couldn't afford to lose her only guide in this strange forest. Whether he'd really be able to help her retrieve her memories or not, she knew without his help that she'd struggle to survive on her own. At least with him, she'd at least have someone around who'd be able to help her navigate this new land.

Eloise couldn't help but find a spot of humor in the entirety of this situation. It was a little ridiculous. Here she was, in the middle of a land she'd never heard of, with no memories, and only a damn cat to help her.

There had been little signs of other life so far, needless to say. The forest seemed so _ untouched _ by… Well, _ anything _ for that matter. There were no worn footpaths, no tracks to be found, and not a single piece of litter to even hint at the possibility of human life. To her, it was downright odd how _ clean _the forest seemed.

They'd come across only birds and various insects thus far. Robins, quails, thrushes, bright blue butterflies and beetles. When she'd asked about finding something to eat or drink, Arthur had promised that if they didn't reach the castle by nightfall, that he'd do his best to catch a rabbit or a quail for them both- so long as she managed to get a fire going.

Though she'd eagerly agreed, the girl wasn't sure if she even knew _ how _to make a fire without the proper equipment. She only had a watch, a mobile with a dead battery and a stick of lipstick to her name- Neither of which seemed as though they'd help. They had been the only items she'd had on her person when she'd woken, and so she'd kept them, but doubted their usefulness.

The silver watch around her wrist was the only thing thus far that had proved in-valuable. Whether the time of day was correct or not, she at least could tell exactly how _ much _time had passed.

Kicking a pebble at her feet absently, Eloise took in a deep breath to calm herself. It had been almost ten minutes yet Arthur hadn't descended from the tree-tops. She wondered at what the world might look like from so up high, and felt a small sting of jealousy at her companions' clear talent for climbing.

She didn't have the heart to even _ attempt _ to climb the trees as he had. Though there _ were _branches that hung low enough to grab if she jumped, she didn't quite trust her body to keep up with her. The woman still felt the ache in her bones that she'd awoken with. It was a stubborn pain that flared with each step, but as she stretched her muscles over the hours of walking, the burning had turned to a dull tenderness.

There was a rustle from above, barely audible from such a great distance. The human's olive gaze flew upward, expecting to see the tabby cat clambering carefully down to the forest floor. Her shoulders dropped slightly.

She could only _ just _see the fiery color of his fur, but it was difficult to see much else as he was so small that the leaves hid him well. If it weren't for the fact that his pelt glittered a brilliant orange in the sun-light, she wouldn't have the faintest clue of his whereabouts.

A small sigh escaped her lips, and her restlessness finally got to her. She pushed off from where she had leaned on the tree trunk and surveyed the area around her- crossing her arms impatiently.

There was a sound. So faint she almost missed it, but as she ambled lightly over the stone, she heard it clearly. A rushing sound.

Her heart leapt and she drew a little away from the tree to make certain she'd not been hearing things. It was so distant the sound, that she'd honestly mistaken it for the wind- yet the closer she drew the louder it became.

She yelled up at the canopy, in no certain spot as she'd lost sight of Arthur's amber fur. "There's a river this way!"

Eloise barely heard him call back, "What?"

She stopped, turned on her heel and cupped her hands around her mouth as if it would amplify her voice, "A river!"

Spurred on by her excitement, she didn't wait for the cat to catch up and began padding off in the direction of the river. He'd be able to follow her scent just fine- she, however, was thirsty beyond belief. As she drew closer, her tongue and throat felt drier and drier with every step. There was a great empty panging in her stomach from hunger, and she itched to drink as much as she could just so she could stop the uncomfortable throbbing.

In ten short minutes, she had reached the bank. Glorious pale golden sand lined the edges of the river, the water so crystal clear and blue that she thought it looked as if the pebbles below were sparkling jewels. The forest seemed to part slightly to allow the sunlight a better glimpse of the water, and its rays cast wonderful brilliant lights that danced across its flowing crystalline surface.

At once she marched to the edge of the waterway, dropping to her knees and allowing the small waves to soak her jeans. Cupping her hands, she didn't even care to think if the water wasn't purified. She brought several mouthfuls to her lips, drinking each as fast as she could to ease her stomach.

At last, she felt so full she thought she might burst. It was a fullness that staved off her hunger at that moment, and hopefully would keep it at bay for another hour.

She leant back as she revelled in the temporary satisfaction, and caught a glimpse of her bloody shirt. Without much care or thought, she stripped it off, and dipped it fully into the water, soaking it to try and get the blood out.

Elouise doubted the stain would ever fully come out- not unless she found some sort of soap or washing powder. Though the girl was almost certain she wouldn't be likely to just stumble across either of those things in this forest either.

As she squeezed and pulled at the stretchy fabric of her shirt, she faintly heard Arthur calling her name. She absently responded, quite absorbed in cleaning as much blood off the clothing as she could.

The woman spared the cat a glance as he peeled out from the brush, and sped across the bank to her- breathing hard as he hissed at her in annoyance. "I thought I asked you to wait?"

Eloise wasn't really in the mood to argue. She clung to the serenity that the rushing of the river brought her with a desperate need for peace. She just wanted a moment _ to think. _To process. She'd hardly taken the time to just sit and breathe in the past few hours, with Arthur and his under-lying panic to find Aslan as quickly as possible.

She spoke in an airy voice, "I'm just going to let this dry for a moment." Not looking at him once, she shuffled toward a fallen tree and let her shirt hang across a thin branch. She slumped onto the log beside it, and sat, staring down the length of the river with her lips pressed together in a thin line.

* * *

Still standing by the riverside, Arthur watched as the girl dropped beside the log, pressing her back into the curve of the wood. He wasn't a fool. The cat could tell she was purposely avoiding his gaze, and though he had been annoyed that she'd not listened to him, he felt the tenseness in his shoulders slip away bit by bit as he watched her.

From his recollection, Narnia wasn't always a kind place. The forests could be highly dangerous, with werewolves, banshees and beasts of _ all kinds _ running around- not _ every _creature in Narnia was good.

He'd barely heard the girl's shouting the first time, and hadn't even seen her walk off from the top of the oak tree. His heart had clamoured painfully with fear when he'd realised he couldn't see her. It was lucky, he'd heard her the second time, and with both fear and realisation, he'd clambered down as quickly as he could to take after her.

The river rush was almost unrecognizable. If it weren't for how clear the water remained, he might have believed it was a different river altogether. The structure had completely changed, the flow of the water- once so calm and serene, was raging on one side so fiercely he could only think there might be a set of falls nearby. But that in itself was stupid- at least this far west.

He could remember clearly that the river rush _ did _have falls, but they were supposed to be much farther to the north. Near the White Witch's castle.

It was only a few hours into their walk, that he began to realise that Narnia had changed. Much more than he had initially thought.

It also hadn't slipped his notice that there was a severe lack of _ life _ to the forest. He'd almost expected to run straight into a gathering of Narnians, as the last time he'd been in the forest, it was almost impossible to go an hour without meeting new folk. Whether talking beast, or faun, or centaur or any other manner of creature- he expected to at least have run into _ someone. _Someone they could speak with and ask for directions.

He'd never outwardly admit he was lost- as he was highly embarrassed by his lack of knowledge on their whereabouts. Arthur had a faint idea, but it almost offended him. After a long three years in the strange world of _ Australia _ , he'd finally been brought _ home. _Yet he landed on his back, with no idea where he was- and to boot, his human barely remembered her own last name.

That was perhaps, what made the whole situation all the worse. He couldn't decide if it had been a good thing that she'd lost her memory or not. Certainly, he was glad she didn't seem to remember what or how they had been _ brought _ to Narnia- but to forget almost _ everything _ that made her… well _ her? _

He thought of the life she had lived in Australia. A _ boring _ one to him, but dammit it was _ her life. _Why did she lose those memories? How had she? Was it Aslan? Was it some other mystical force or…?

The tabby's ears pinned back as he pondered, _ was it her injuries? _She hadn't been hit anywhere in the head, and that was why this idea confused him.

As the cat stood, lost in a confusing muddle of unanswered questions, it was then that he realised he'd not been a very good friend to the girl for the past few hours. Finally, they could actually speak to one another, and all he'd done was answer a few questions as he ushered her across the country-side, desperate to help her regain her memories as quickly as possible.

He was still honestly reeling from the shock of it all. It had all been so sudden, and he'd been filled with such hatred, that it'd blinded him from realising she needed a moment to breathe. He just wanted this to be fixed. To be put right.

It was the first time he considered that perhaps he could try and help her remember himself. He had no clue how long it would take to find Aslan, and until they could, he realistically should do his best to help her fill in the gaps herself.

The tabby cat slowly crossed the golden sand, observing the almost vacant expression on the girl's face. His body became wracked with grief, and he dropped onto his hind legs, sitting beside her as he followed her line of sight down the river.

For a moment, there was only silence. One of them heavy with a heart filled with anguish, the other focusing only on the sounds of the forest- grateful for a moment of pure respite.

He was hesitant to break the silence but finally gathered the courage. "You can ask me anything, you know."

She barely even looked at him. It was almost frightening, seeing the girl so quiet. The woman who'd cared for him in the other world had a naturally bubbly disposition. Seeing her now with such a blank expression was unnerving. _ Unnatural _.

He would have given his fur back if it meant she'd smile again.

Eloise blinked after a moment as if finally registering that he'd spoken to her. She tilted her head and glanced at him. He felt a little better, seeing the curiosity begin to creep into her eyes.

"Can… can you tell me more about Narnia?" That stutter as well was just as unnatural as her blank expression was. He held back a sigh, settling in the sand as he began to tell her everything he remembered about Narnia.

Talking about Narnia brought about a much more pleasant atmosphere. Whilst it wasn't anything new to him, he felt more glad to be home than ever as he spoke about the White Witch and the tale of the Kings and Queens. He could clearly picture each of their faces- though he'd never met any of them personally, he'd seen them many times from a distance in Cair Paravel. His home. How he'd missed that glorious place.

He wondered how old they would be now. Were they- _ were they even still alive? _

As he spoke of the coronation, he did his best to justly describe the magnificence that was the inside of the castle. It was the only time he'd been able to see it himself, but he'd never forget those chandeliers or those high thrones… nor the smiles that everyone had worn that day.

Whilst he'd been speaking, Arthur was glad to see that the more he told her of Narnia, the more she seemed to somewhat relax. She was feeling better- less unfocused and lost as he gave her something _worth _listening to and committing to memory.

"It sounds beautiful," she murmured, wrapping her arms around her knees as she shivered slightly. He could see the goosebumps appearing on her tan skin and he felt a twinge of pity. She'd have to acclimate herself to Narnia's climate, and he had a feeling she might find it difficult, especially during the winter.

He chipped back, "It really is. I think you'll love it more when you see it yourself."

Eloise seemed to hesitate, nibbling her lip a little as she pondered quietly to herself. The girl spoke, "So… the Kings and Queens. They really come from my world?"

Arthur nodded, "They do- but they were from some other country, not Australia. Though I can't remember which."

She bobbed her head, processing this information. "Did they ever go back?"

Arthur shook his head, "No. They've been in Narnia for about fourteen years…" He trailed off. "Probably more now. I don't know what year it is currently."

Eloise spoke up, "So does that mean I'll never get to go back?"

Alarmed, he looked up at her with a slightly opened maw. He didn't know how to answer. His emerald-like eyes peered back, as the light-haired girl blinked down at him, turning her head to face him.

She opened her mouth, and he had no clue what she was about to say- but she hadn't the chance to speak, because, in that very moment, they heard the distant echo of a peace-shattering scream.


End file.
